title: HIV prevention risks for Black women in Canada.
abstract: The future availability of HIV vaccines can increase options available to Canadian Black women for risk reduction. However, current conceptual frameworks do not adequately address barriers to HIV prevention for this population, and may be inadequate to address challenges with vaccines. This study explored knowledge and attitudes regarding HIV vaccines and associated prevention methods to inform appropriate conceptual frameworks for their dissemination to Canadian Black women. We completed four 90-min focus groups with women (n=26) of African or Caribbean origins, and six interviews with key informants providing health and social services in the Black communities of Toronto. The participants suggested that there were significant risks associated with seeking prevention information and attempting to reduce exposure to HIV infection. They described individual, familial, community and institutional domains of risk and predicted the same spectrum of risk for HIV vaccines. Participants advocated for education, empowerment and institutional change to create a supportive environment for vaccines and other HIV prevention methods. They further indicated that preparation for vaccine dissemination will need to prioritize building trust between women of the Black communities and institutions in the research, health and government sectors.
authors.affiliation: Factor-Inwentash Faculty of Social Work, University of Toronto, 246 Bloor Street West, Toronto, Ontario, Canada M5S 1A1. charmaine.williams@utoronto.ca
authors.forename: Charmaine C
authors.initials: CC
authors.lastname: Williams
authors.forename: Peter A
authors.initials: PA
authors.lastname: Newman
authors.forename: Izumi
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Sakamoto
authors.forename: Notisha A
authors.initials: NA
authors.lastname: Massaquoi
mesh_terms: D016915:AIDS Vaccines; D000328:Adult; D000349:Africa / Q000208:ethnology; D000368:Aged; D044383:Black People / Q000193:education* / Q000523:psychology; D017691:Caribbean Region / Q000208:ethnology; D055812:Community-Based Participatory Research; D005260:Female; D017144:Focus Groups; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000208:ethnology* / Q000517:prevention & control*; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D008875:Middle Aged; D009864:Ontario; D012111:Residence Characteristics; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012931:Social Environment; D013240:Stereotyping; D035502:Trust; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D016915:AIDS Vaccines